Poborsky Bangura named Sierra Leone best player of the year 2011

By Mohamed Fajah Barrie in Freetown

Mohamed 'Poborsky' Bangura

Scotland based Sierra Leonean striker Mohamed ‘Poborsky’ Bangura has been named the best Sierra Leonean player of the year 2011 during the country’s Premier Sports Awards event organised by the Sports Writers Association of Sierra Leone (SWASL) in partnership with the football betting company Mercury International Limited.

The colourful ceremony took place at the Miatta Conference Hall in Freetown on Saturday 3rd December 2011 and was well attended.

The 22-year old who is playing for the former Scottish and European Champions was voted by Sports Journalists, members of the public and a panel of Judges as he defeated two other shortlisted players for the category former team mate Ibrahim Teteh Bangura and 2011 Sierra Leone Premier League Best Player Ibrahim K. Fofanah.

Bangura scored about seven goals in 2011 for former Swedish club AIK Stockholm and assisted team mates to score several goals before he moved to Celtic at the end of August.

He is one the key players in the Leone Stars team scoring the winning goal against reigning African Champions Egypt’s Pharaohs in Freetown in September in the 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The 2011 Best Coach Award went to the 64 year old Christian Cole defeating FC Johansen Coach John Keister and former Kamboi Eagles of Kenema coach now with Gem Stars of Tongo Arun Soccoh Conteh. Coach Cole guided Ports Authority FC to win the 2011 Sierra Leone Premier League.

Leone Stars won the 2011 Best Team Award for their overall good performance in the 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifiers that saw them constantly rise in the FIFA rankings, as they are now in 61^st place.

The other two contenders were Ports Authority FC and the 2011 National First Division League Champions and newly promoted team to the Premier League FC Johansen.

The Golden Jubilee Award for Male Football went to Kama Dumbuya and the Musu Pele Bangura won the Female category.

The Awards Ceremony was described as a success by the Sierra Leone Sports Minister Paul Kamara who was one of the top dignitaries that attended the event. He praised SWASAL for putting up a wonderful ceremony.